(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to casts that are temporarily placed on individual's skeletal or muscular structure. One common use of a cast is to support the leg, arm, or other part of the body.
More particularly, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus for removing such casts.
(2) Description of Related Art
First Trend
A first trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises placing an elongate tubular guide or channel on a portion of the body of an individual prior to applying the cast and permitting the cast to solidify. The cast, when applied, covers the tubular guide. When the time comes to remove the cast an elongate cutting wire is fed through the tubular guide. The cutting wire is moved back and forth to outwardly cut through the cast, or is otherwise forced outwardly through the cast to cut the cast. One common cutting wire is identified by the name Giggli saw.
Second Trend
A second trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises placing an elongate tubular guide or channel on a portion of the body of an individual prior to applying the cast and permitting the cast to solidify. The cast, when applied, covers the tubular guide. When the time comes to remove the cast a scissors tool is utilized to cut through the cast. The tubular guide helps to direct the scissors.
Third Trend
A third trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises utilizing a shield comprising an elongate relatively flat strip of material. The shield is placed on a portion of the body of an individual prior to applying the cast and permitting the cast to solidify. The cast, when applied, covers the flat strip of material. When the time comes to remove the cast with a cutting tool, the flat strip of material functions to shield the individual from a cutting tool.
Fourth Trend
A fourth trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises utilizing a tool with a rigid foot that a user slides along a shield strip or guide channel. The tool also includes a rotary cutting tool that is situated above the fixed foot and cuts the cast. The tool utilizes a circular, flat, thin blade with teeth situated around the circular peripheral edge of the blade
Fifth Trend
A fifth trend in connection with the removal of a cast comprises utilizing a Stryker saw or similar tool to remove a cast. A Stryker saw includes a housing and a saw blade rotatably mounted on the housing. The saw blade is a panel-shaped, relatively thin, flat, circular blade with cutting or abrading material formed on the sides of the blade near the circular outer peripheral edge of the blade. The outer peripheral edge of the blade does not include abrading or cutting material; this to minimize the likelihood that the outer edge of the blade will cut the skin of an individual. The rapid rotation of the blade can, however, cause the outer peripheral edge to burn or cut the skin of an individual on contact. A user grasps the housing and uses the saw blade to cut through a cast while endeavoring not to contact and injure the skin of the individual. The Stryker saw can be, but often is not, utilized in connection with a protective strip or with a guide. The user simply does his or her best to guide and control the saw and to not inadvertently burn or cut the skin of an individual. Such inadvertent injury does, however, occur on a fairly regular basis. Further, the noise associated with use of the saw often effectively functions to terrify children who are having a cast removed. Such fear on the part of a child and the child's parent is magnified when a user inadvertently contacts and burns or cuts the skin of the child with the saw blade.
The Stryker saw is currently by far the presently preferred, and usually the only, method of removing a cast. The methods and tools set forth above with respect to the third trend are currently sometimes used on a limited basis in the market. However, the methods and tools set forth above in the first through the fourth trends otherwise are basically largely, if not entirely, obsolete, are currently ignored, and in the real world exist only in the print and paper comprising earlier issued patents, magazine articles, and other documents.
The Stryker saw has evidently been the preferred method of removing a cast for at least the last twenty (20) years; any perceived motivation to provide an alternate method or removing a cast has not provided sufficient impetus to displace use of the Stryker saw, or to reinstate the obsolete methodology set forth in prior issued patents or other documents.
Nonetheless, it is a principal object of the invention is to develop an improved method and apparatus to remove a cast, in particular a fiberglass cast, from an individual. A fiberglass cast is significantly more difficult to cut than was the old fashioned plaster cast.